The blue haired druid sulked his way through one of Vale Castle's many
corridors. Alex was far from happy here; he was used to the open spaces
and serenity of the woods, not the hustle and bustle of a busy castle. It
was needless to say, the Mercury Adept was not Angara's biggest people
person. Though many people would take him as a loon, he thought the common
crow had more depth than most of the servants and individuals he
encountered in this new location. Naturally considering the size of Vale,
Alex had not been in the fairest of moods what with all the people; he was
really dying for some peace and quiet. Yet, through all of these annoying
discomforts that he'd soon rather forget, he didn't let slip the fact that
he had a job to do.
In fact, he was already on his way to try to keep Isaac away from Felix at almost any cost. The druid, though bound by his duty, was not particularly thrilled at having to handle such a task. This mission vexed the Mercury Adept to no end. He was a druid, skilled in the arts of healing and the knowledge of nature, not a babysitter to two star-crossed lovers. He didn't spend his years training in the wilderness just to protect some stupid kid from possibly the most powerful warrior in the entire kingdom. Worse yet was the fact that he was put as a shield between the lovesick fool and his potentially murderous master. Nothing like being stuck between the bull and the matador, that's for sure. After all, isn't one of life's greatest pleasures getting ripped limb from limb? Alex would've sworn he heard that annoying Tret laughing its roots off all the way from Mogall. Actually, as that thought entered his head, a faraway voice made itself heard in the same place.
"I'm glad you think that I find this so amusing, Alex." Tret boomed. "I assure you this is of the utmost seriousness." The Mercury Adept jumped when he heard the voice of the tree within the depths of his own mind. The sudden burst shocked him a great deal, and he was caught off guard completely by the tree's sudden outburst. "Besides, it is too late."
"Too late?" Alex questioned back through a thought.
"Lord Felix has already discovered the secret that Master Isaac holds. He has already confronted him and all but stripped him of his title."
"He found out? How? And when?"
"I do not know." Tret replied. "In this dark time even my power can wane in strength. However, I did clearly vision the thrashing Felix gave his apprentice."
"It was as bad as you feared?"
"Worse." Tret sighed; even in his mind, Alex could hear the tree's rustling leaves as he gave off the breath. Alex's blood suddenly ran a few degrees colder. "Yes, it was that bad, Alex. This complicates matters a great deal, my friend. The unity of the Paladin corps will surely be split now. And at such a crucial moment, the peril is at a critical level. Vale could very well fall if conditions continue to erode as they are."
"Does the healer know that Felix found out?"
"No, she does not, and the squire passed up the opportunity to tell her shortly after the incident."
"Great. That's another problem for the ever growing list. Now what do we do, Tret? We're running out of viable options."
"I'm curious as to the thoughts of the squire right now. I want to know what exactly possessed him to act in the manner that he did."
"It's the course of nature, Tret. You of all people should understand the factor of natural attraction and the course of fear."
"Of course I understand. I'm merely curious as to the insights of the boy. I suspect getting to him will be easier than getting into the mind of the girl. Though Mia may be kind and soft on the outside, it is obvious that deeper within her she is far stronger than any normal woman."
"Perhaps that's why the squire is attracted to her?"
"It is possible. However, her strength is highly unusual, as I stated. Though she is subject to human emotion, this kind of will is scarcely seen."
"So the squire likes strong women. It's probably to mirror his own inner strength."
"Ah, so you too have sensed Isaac's unusual force of will as well?" Tret asked.
"Of course. It's blatantly obvious; a beacon of a lighthouse is more subtle." Alex commented, nonchalantly.
"However, even he has his limits. All strength gives out at some point or another. Right now, his has given out and he now seeks respite."
"I suppose after what happened I can hardly blame him." Alex mumbled. "So how do you suggest I get to him? He's no doubt been confined someplace."
"To his quarters to be precise." Tret boomed. "And he is being guarded. There is no way you can get in by yourself. You must seek aid from someone."
"Like who?" Alex asked, indignantly. He could get past a couple of guards. It's not like he wasn't capable of handling himself in a fight if the need arose.
"Seek out the Mage, Ivan. He is wise and powerful, and he will certainly aid you."
"Does he suspect anything about the healer and the squire?"
"He more than suspects them. He is sure the two of them are in love, but he is lacking any physical evidence to prove this assumption."
"Was it him who went to Felix?"
"No. Ivan has suspected as soon as he met Mia, and I'm sure almost as much as we do."
"Swell. At least it won't take much convincing to get him to help."
**********************************
The young mage Ivan sat in the well lit library of Vale Castle. He had spent most of his time since arrival here, researching the defenses and capabilities of the city should an attack come. The city was heavily fortified, and was an excellent deterrent to barbarians that used to roam the lands freely. However, as well as the city was defended against barbarian tribes, a well organized and trained army could overrun the defenses with enough time and troops. This worried Ivan a great deal. Although the city of Vale would have its finest troops and mages defending it, the resistance would be unknown.
Ivan reclined back in his chair and gave a sigh. This was going to be a time that would be known to history, and it was the actions that everyone took now that would set the stage of what the books would say in the future.
The future; there was something that always possessed the mind of a Jupiter Adept such as himself. The wind constantly whispered to him the workings of what had not happened yet; it was a constant reminder of everything around him and how it could change. The breezes rarely left the recesses of the mage's mind, but somehow they were never intrusive. Rather, it was as though the winds gave him a sort of guidance he could find in no being or book. He always looked to them when things became too complex for normal thought, and they more often not brought him to the correct solution.
However, there were times when the winds would rise up and completely take over his conscious self, forcing him to see what cannot by normal eyes. These sorts of visions were not uncommon for Jupiter Adepts, especially ones with his sort of power and skill. Therefore, whenever the breeze made its call to him, he never hesitated to listen to it. Such was the way any Jupiter Adept would react.
As Ivan sat back in his chair, he could feel again the winds speaking to him, whispering a silent message to him alone. The young mage closed his eyes and tried to listen to the call of his element. He could not understand the oration that they gave off, but the wind's tone was howling and foul. As the moments passed, the near silent whispers grew to loud roaring; the winds began to gust and turned into a powerful tempest. Soon, the winds had completely swept his mind away.
***********************************
Ivan opened his eyes slowly. He was no longer in the library where he had been carefully studying. Now he stood in the middle of one of Vale's many markets. However, this was no market day. Before him, hundreds of men, women, and children lay brutally slain all over the market square. They had all been murdered by soulless marauders armed with sharp weapons and a singular purpose. As well, every building around him was lit ablaze; the fiery embers lit up the night with an eerie orange glow that would cause any normal man to shudder in horror. Plumes of smoke curled from each building; gathering in the sky above, filtering out any light the moon and stars would've provided to the shattered square.
The mage, though in a great scene of horror, remained stoically silent and still. Not a single muscle tensed in his body, save for the beating of his heart and his soft breathing. There was not a sound anywhere from any living being. Only the crackle and snaps of the flames around made any noise whatsoever; the embers produced a somber song that was a reminder of the scene around. Ivan slowly shifted his eyes left then right, further studying the area. It was bleak in every direction; lifeless, full of flames and the stench of death. Complete stillness, total oblivion.
Much like his still form, his emotions made no changes. Across his face was a straight mouth, and somewhat dulled violet eyes which showed nothing into the soul of the Adept. It was as though he himself could've been the one to kill these people so brutally; yes, he showed no emotion at all. He was like a statue carved from marble; so alive, yet completely inanimate.
Then Ivan turned his eyes skyward. In the smoke saturated skies, he could make out nothing, save for one thing. In the skies above what was left of Vale, he saw a massive figure, powerful, foreboding. A giant wingspan broke through the smoke, a span so large that it appeared to be twenty men in depth. Attached to the wings of the figure was a giant suit of armor, radiating with a dark glow and an evil disposition. In one massive metal arm he held a sword, far larger than himself, and the other housed a massive shield, more than three-quarters the size of the being itself. On its back were strapped dozens of weapons, each gigantic and horrible. There was no doubt that this figure was none other than the most feared entity known to humanity. Its name, the name that struck fear into the hearts of every person near and far, was Catastrophe, the angel of destruction.
Even at the sight of this amazingly powerful being, Ivan's face did not change, did not waver. If anything, the mage was not surprised seeing this being here. He turned his eyes back to the ground, as a slight tremor shook it lightly. As Ivan studied the ground, the tremor's intensity grew rapidly. The mage looked up and sighed, and as he finished, he took a deep breath into his lungs.
No sooner than his lungs reached capacity that a force of tremendous power struck him from behind. His body completely immobilized, Ivan felt a pain unlike anything he had ever experienced. Every nerve screamed out in agony, every sinew cried in pain, every muscle shouted in despair. His vision became nothing but a vast blur of red and white as he began to fall forward. He felt like he was literally being torn apart; the seconds turned into hours as the power continued to blast the defenseless mage. After a countless amount of time, Ivan felt his body impact on the ground; with the impact, the force that had blasted him dissipated. A few moments passed before Ivan could pick himself up from the ground; when he finally bolstered enough strength to, he looked up. The scene he now saw was infinitely more horrifying than the last. All across the land, for tens of thousands of miles around, all Ivan saw was. . .
Emptiness. Complete, and total, void.
*****************************************
Ivan's violet eyes violently snapped open; in his sudden shock, his chair fell over backwards and he tumbled the ground. His head collided with the floor with a strong force; enough to make Ivan see colors for a moment. When he finally came around, he swore under his breath and rubbed the wound. It still throbbed with pain, but that did not trouble him for long. What quickly entered his mind was his premonition; how real it felt, and how truly horrible it was. When the mage finally mustered enough strength to get to his feet, he rose and brushed himself off, trying to escape the thoughts of his vision. The worst thing was, more often than not, when the wind spoke to him of what could happen, it often did happen as foretold. If this was the case, Vale and all of its people were doomed. Worse yet, Ivan feared for all of Angara; Saturos' rage would probably reach to every inch of the country's borders.
Things were growing worse by the minute. If conditions continued to degenerate, there would be no hope for anyone. This would especially bode true if Ivan's other hunches were correct. If everything he knew and guessed could happen, everyone was done for. Ivan leaned against the table and put a hand to his forehead to think and look to his element for guidance.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait for his instincts or powers to kick in. Mere seconds after he had begun to ponder, the door to the library opened and a familiar Mercury Adept stepped in.
"Master Ivan." Alex said. "There are some matters I need to discuss with you, and they are very important."
"What's on your mind, Alex?" Ivan asked, trying to sound like nothing had happened to him. But as soon as Alex heard the words from Ivan's mouth, he halted and shot Ivan an unusual glance.
"You finally saw it?" Alex asked. "The fate of Vale?" Ivan's face paled noticeably, but he didn't hesitate to answer.
"Yes."
"Then times are as bad as Tret feared." Alex said, wrapping his hands behind his back and pacing back and forth. "I'm sure the reason you saw that vision was a stimulus that occurred just recently."
"What do you mean?" Ivan asked, somewhat on edge given the fact that Alex knew something he didn't.
"You know what it is. You've suspected it for quite some time now; not many things escape Tret's watchful eye."
"So, Isaac did fall in love with Mia then?" Ivan asked. "And I'd wager by the urgency of your tone that Lord Felix has discovered this. Is this the stimulus you speak of?"
"Tret was correct when he said go to you. You are as perceptive as he thought."
"What do you need me for, Alex? I know you didn't come here just to chat."
"There is a small matter that Tret wants settled. I need you to help me reach Isaac so we can speak with him."
"Why would you need my help, Alex? You seem perfectly capable of speech."
"There is no need to be cynical, my dear mage. You see, Felix has since sentenced Isaac to confinement to quarters and posted guards in front of the door. There is no peaceful way I can get in, let alone communicate with the squire. Besides, I doubt that he trusts me; I believe it would be better if someone he more closely trusts would accompany me. I know as well you yourself are interested in Isaac's motives. I'm afraid there is no other way around this."
"How many guards are we talking about?"
"Two of them remain on post at all times. Luckily for us, Isaac's quarters are in a more secluded area of the barracks. Once we get in, we shouldn't have much trouble talking to him with fear of detection." Alex replied. Ivan stood silently for a moment, thinking. He let his eyes reach the floor in front of him. Unfortunately, he knew Alex was correct; there was no other way.
"Very well, let's go."
***********************************
"Halt. No visitors allowed." One of the guards said to the mage and druid.
"Hey, what's going on? Did Isaac do something wrong?" Ivan asked, faking the innocence of a small child.
"That is none of your business, sir. You may be a mage of the kingdom, but I have my orders from Lord Felix himself."
"Are you sure we can't see him? I wanted to let him know something important." Ivan replied.
"No. Please leave the area now before we have you escorted from the barracks."
"Darn, I guess we'll have to wait for another time." Ivan said, turning and walking away, Alex in tow. Just as the guards let their momentary vigil down, they found themselves on the receiving end of a Sleep spell. Fortunately for Ivan and Alex, the guards had not spotted the sudden cast. Alex was quick to swipe a key from one of the guards and unlock the door to Isaac's chamber. The two quickly slipped inside and shut the door and bolted it once more.
"What in Sol's name are you two doing?!" Isaac asked, shocked out of reading his book by the sudden intrusion. "You guys aren't supposed to be in here! If Felix finds out you'll both be in serious trouble!"
"Sorry Isaac." Ivan replied. "But this matter is important." Isaac rose from his bed and put his book aside. He turned away from the mage and druid for a moment, before cocking his head around to look at Ivan with one eye.
"I guess you figured everything out, huh?" He asked, somewhat glumly. "Why I'm confined to my room?"
"Yes." Ivan replied.
"Have the rumors spread that quickly?" Isaac questioned, though not necessarily to his visitors.
"No, not yet they haven't." The mage responded. "The only ones who know are you, Felix, the guards, Alex and myself. Hopefully there will be no rumors floating around."
"So what do you intend to do in here?" Alex asked.
"Serve out my sentence." Isaac sighed. "What else can I do? I've already damaged the name of the Paladins of Sol enough." The warrior sighed and looked at both of his guests. "Why are you two here, anyway? You've no reason to break law just for time to talk with me." Neither replied right away and Isaac spun to face them. The warrior's sapphire eyes no longer displayed the same fire that they had just days before. "You came to find out why, didn't you?" He asked, sounding a mix of angry, hurt, and not surprised. The Venus Adept sighed and turned his back again. "Answer me this first, Ivan. . . Alex. Why do you wish to know? What importance does it play to you?" There was a pause before an answer.
"Alex, would you mind leaving for a moment?" Ivan asked. The Mercury Adept nodded, and took his leave from the room. Ivan was inwardly relieved; Alex seemed to know why he asked. "Isaac, why we need to know is very important. We fear the very essence of life hangs in the balance now. With this development, there will be a deep split in the Paladin corps and it could cause the very destruction of Vale."
"You still haven't answered me, Ivan. Yes, I'm perfectly aware of the situation, but what would the knowledge of why I fell in love change anything?"
"It might make our next course of action more clear, Isaac."
"How so?"
"You may want to sit down, Isaac." The Venus Adept did as told, and focused on the mage in front of him. "Today I had a premonition, much like every other Jupiter Adept does. What makes this one different was what I saw in that premonition. Isaac, I saw all of Vale destroyed, all of its citizens massacred. Not a soul was left, my friend. Not so much as a blade of grass remained alive. Just when matters couldn't seem to get worse, the one being that all of mankind fear flew above in the skies."
"Catastrophe. . ." Isaac whispered.
"Yes. Now do you see the urgency of our situation?" Isaac nodded in response.
"Perhaps it would be easier to tell you how all of this started and how it progressed."
"It would be faster if you opened your mind to me and let me read your thoughts. It would also be more accurate because they are your memories now, and I can see them in their purest states."
"If that's what you think is best, Ivan. You know I trust you." Ivan gave the slightest of smiles, and he walked over and rested his hand on the Venus Adept's shoulder. Jupiter's purple energy coursed through the mage's body as he began searching through the depths of Isaac's subconscious.
***********************
Ivan's eyes opened and he found himself in a familiar place. He had returned to the square from his premonition, but it was much different than before. The skies were darkened, and the square was empty, save for one person, sitting on an ornamental fountain in the center of the square. Ivan raised an eyebrow at this; there was no fountain in Vale square, and certainly not one of a beautiful maiden. He approached Isaac, who, as Ivan well knew, could not see him or hear him.
The mage studied the fountain. It was an odd sight to say the least. The fountain maiden was a dead ringer for Mia, and yet Ivan knew this memory extended to long before Isaac had met her. This was very odd indeed. Not only was the resemblance close, it was very near perfect. The whole situation was simply mind-boggling; there was never a case of Venus Adepts having premonitions before. Ivan pondered this for a moment. It could've been a case of sheer luck that he dreamt of Mia, but the whispering winds in his head spoke otherwise. He decided to continue watching.
Footsteps could be heard entering the square, and Isaac rose. Ivan looked to the source of the noise to see a skeleton, fully clad in a knight's suit of armor, armed with a rusted and archaic blade. The squire quickly drew his weapon and began fighting with the monster. Sparks flew from both weapons as each combatant swung their blades at each other. The fight was completely even; both had almost equal strength. However, the battle drew to a close as Isaac whipped his sword across the side of the skeleton's head. The skull flew clear off and its body fell to the ground with a loud clang. The squire sighed and seemed pensive for a moment, before turning around to see three more of the same creatures rushing at him.
The swordfight was fast and furious; it was amazing how Isaac kept track of all three targets at once. The flashes of steel that came from each blow were blinding to the Jupiter Adept's eyes. Ivan watched in complete fascination as the blonde haired warrior dispatched each foe systematically until he was the last one left standing. After all of the battling, Isaac looked visibly tired. He panted for air and beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. As Isaac loosened up from his fight, another sinister voice called out, but it sounded like a whisper even through the silent night.
"Isaac. . . it is time."
Ivan's eyes widened at the sight of the newcomer. It was none other than the spirit of death, the one who appeared to those who would be taken to the other side. The figure was considerably larger than Isaac, clad in the black cloak that all of the literature said it wore. In its right skeletal hand, it held a massive and terrible scythe, and from the motion the spirit was in, it was prepared to use it.
"Never." Came Isaac's reply to the apparition. The Venus Adept moved his weapon into a defensive position, anticipating Death's next move. As expected, the specter swung at him with his scythe, and the squire blocked the scythe blade in a flash of sparks and light. Death, completely unfazed from the failure of his previous strike, swung for Isaac again. Once more, the squire blocked the strike of the scythe, but with a loud crack, his defense was gone. Ivan watched carefully as a good portion of Isaac's now broken sword clattered to the ground below. The warrior was left with less than a quarter of his blade, and it wouldn't be enough to block the next strike.
Obviously desperate, Isaac pitched the handle of his sword at the malevolent spirit, but Death had to move but a little to avoid the last ditch attack by the squire. Ivan winced as he saw the spirit prepare to strike once more, bringing the demise of his friend. However, instead of making a slash at him, Death lunged and pushed Isaac to the ground with the rod of his weapon.
"It is time." It hissed at him. Isaac looked up at the being with an indescribable horror, and he shut his eyes in a vain prayer that none of this was real. As the fiend raised his scythe for the final blow, a sudden blast of blue light blinded the mage. When his vision cleared, he saw the now distracted Death looking at the final comer in this fight.
**********************************
The powers of the wind subsided from Isaac's body as Ivan concluded his mind reading session. He had seen everything now; the dream, how he met Mia, the fight with the undead, the Cerberus hounds, their summoner, the history of Imil, and everything else; all from Isaac's point of view. The events were not any different than when they were described to him and the others in Imil, but experiencing everything from another's point of view gave a whole new perspective.
"So, Ivan. . . what do you make of it?" Isaac asked.
"I'm not sure." Ivan explained. "This dream of yours is disturbing, especially considering the frequency of which you had it; not to mention the fact that you had a perfect perception of Mia months before you even knew she existed. If this was a premonition, it is the first recorded one in history of Venus Adepts. Yet, it was not the dream that made you fall in love with her. This is a very strange turn of events."
"What else did you see? Did you see me talk to Sol?"
"Sol?" Ivan asked. "I do remember seeing a version of your dream where you seemed to phase out into a world of pure emptiness. I noticed you seemed to be talking to the air; I saw no sign of anything."
"That was where I saw him." Isaac said. "Sol was there, and he told me to follow my heart; that the Code wasn't always correct."
"I don't recall seeing any of that. Are you sure it wasn't just your mind being over-active in your sleep?"
"No, I saw him. I'm sure of it; I felt a presence of purity and strength, something unlike anything in this world could produce. Ivan, I am sure beyond a shadow of a doubt it was him." Ivan studied the warrior; the fire he had seen in Isaac's eyes some time ago had returned as he spoke with his conviction. "Who else could it have been?"
"What puzzles me," Ivan began, "was why couldn't I see him or hear him?"
"Sol makes himself apparent to only those he deems fit, and I doubt any memory of mine could clearly emulate him."
"It is possible." Ivan replied. "This is odd indeed. I will have to look into this further."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I must speak to Mia. Perhaps the missing pieces of this puzzle are in her keep. Does she know that you were found out?"
"No." Isaac replied. "I had the chance to tell her, but like a fool and a coward I didn't." Ivan sighed.
"Then it will be much more difficult to approach her about this issue. I believe a more subtle approach is required. I must dwell on this for a time. Perhaps I will see you soon, Isaac."
"Ivan, what do you think finding out about this would accomplish?"
"I'm not sure. I'm only doing as the wind wills; like good Jupiter Adept would do. Now, I must take my leave before Alex and I are discovered here. Take care, my friend." Ivan said, before finally leaving Isaac to his punishment once more.
In fact, he was already on his way to try to keep Isaac away from Felix at almost any cost. The druid, though bound by his duty, was not particularly thrilled at having to handle such a task. This mission vexed the Mercury Adept to no end. He was a druid, skilled in the arts of healing and the knowledge of nature, not a babysitter to two star-crossed lovers. He didn't spend his years training in the wilderness just to protect some stupid kid from possibly the most powerful warrior in the entire kingdom. Worse yet was the fact that he was put as a shield between the lovesick fool and his potentially murderous master. Nothing like being stuck between the bull and the matador, that's for sure. After all, isn't one of life's greatest pleasures getting ripped limb from limb? Alex would've sworn he heard that annoying Tret laughing its roots off all the way from Mogall. Actually, as that thought entered his head, a faraway voice made itself heard in the same place.
"I'm glad you think that I find this so amusing, Alex." Tret boomed. "I assure you this is of the utmost seriousness." The Mercury Adept jumped when he heard the voice of the tree within the depths of his own mind. The sudden burst shocked him a great deal, and he was caught off guard completely by the tree's sudden outburst. "Besides, it is too late."
"Too late?" Alex questioned back through a thought.
"Lord Felix has already discovered the secret that Master Isaac holds. He has already confronted him and all but stripped him of his title."
"He found out? How? And when?"
"I do not know." Tret replied. "In this dark time even my power can wane in strength. However, I did clearly vision the thrashing Felix gave his apprentice."
"It was as bad as you feared?"
"Worse." Tret sighed; even in his mind, Alex could hear the tree's rustling leaves as he gave off the breath. Alex's blood suddenly ran a few degrees colder. "Yes, it was that bad, Alex. This complicates matters a great deal, my friend. The unity of the Paladin corps will surely be split now. And at such a crucial moment, the peril is at a critical level. Vale could very well fall if conditions continue to erode as they are."
"Does the healer know that Felix found out?"
"No, she does not, and the squire passed up the opportunity to tell her shortly after the incident."
"Great. That's another problem for the ever growing list. Now what do we do, Tret? We're running out of viable options."
"I'm curious as to the thoughts of the squire right now. I want to know what exactly possessed him to act in the manner that he did."
"It's the course of nature, Tret. You of all people should understand the factor of natural attraction and the course of fear."
"Of course I understand. I'm merely curious as to the insights of the boy. I suspect getting to him will be easier than getting into the mind of the girl. Though Mia may be kind and soft on the outside, it is obvious that deeper within her she is far stronger than any normal woman."
"Perhaps that's why the squire is attracted to her?"
"It is possible. However, her strength is highly unusual, as I stated. Though she is subject to human emotion, this kind of will is scarcely seen."
"So the squire likes strong women. It's probably to mirror his own inner strength."
"Ah, so you too have sensed Isaac's unusual force of will as well?" Tret asked.
"Of course. It's blatantly obvious; a beacon of a lighthouse is more subtle." Alex commented, nonchalantly.
"However, even he has his limits. All strength gives out at some point or another. Right now, his has given out and he now seeks respite."
"I suppose after what happened I can hardly blame him." Alex mumbled. "So how do you suggest I get to him? He's no doubt been confined someplace."
"To his quarters to be precise." Tret boomed. "And he is being guarded. There is no way you can get in by yourself. You must seek aid from someone."
"Like who?" Alex asked, indignantly. He could get past a couple of guards. It's not like he wasn't capable of handling himself in a fight if the need arose.
"Seek out the Mage, Ivan. He is wise and powerful, and he will certainly aid you."
"Does he suspect anything about the healer and the squire?"
"He more than suspects them. He is sure the two of them are in love, but he is lacking any physical evidence to prove this assumption."
"Was it him who went to Felix?"
"No. Ivan has suspected as soon as he met Mia, and I'm sure almost as much as we do."
"Swell. At least it won't take much convincing to get him to help."
**********************************
The young mage Ivan sat in the well lit library of Vale Castle. He had spent most of his time since arrival here, researching the defenses and capabilities of the city should an attack come. The city was heavily fortified, and was an excellent deterrent to barbarians that used to roam the lands freely. However, as well as the city was defended against barbarian tribes, a well organized and trained army could overrun the defenses with enough time and troops. This worried Ivan a great deal. Although the city of Vale would have its finest troops and mages defending it, the resistance would be unknown.
Ivan reclined back in his chair and gave a sigh. This was going to be a time that would be known to history, and it was the actions that everyone took now that would set the stage of what the books would say in the future.
The future; there was something that always possessed the mind of a Jupiter Adept such as himself. The wind constantly whispered to him the workings of what had not happened yet; it was a constant reminder of everything around him and how it could change. The breezes rarely left the recesses of the mage's mind, but somehow they were never intrusive. Rather, it was as though the winds gave him a sort of guidance he could find in no being or book. He always looked to them when things became too complex for normal thought, and they more often not brought him to the correct solution.
However, there were times when the winds would rise up and completely take over his conscious self, forcing him to see what cannot by normal eyes. These sorts of visions were not uncommon for Jupiter Adepts, especially ones with his sort of power and skill. Therefore, whenever the breeze made its call to him, he never hesitated to listen to it. Such was the way any Jupiter Adept would react.
As Ivan sat back in his chair, he could feel again the winds speaking to him, whispering a silent message to him alone. The young mage closed his eyes and tried to listen to the call of his element. He could not understand the oration that they gave off, but the wind's tone was howling and foul. As the moments passed, the near silent whispers grew to loud roaring; the winds began to gust and turned into a powerful tempest. Soon, the winds had completely swept his mind away.
***********************************
Ivan opened his eyes slowly. He was no longer in the library where he had been carefully studying. Now he stood in the middle of one of Vale's many markets. However, this was no market day. Before him, hundreds of men, women, and children lay brutally slain all over the market square. They had all been murdered by soulless marauders armed with sharp weapons and a singular purpose. As well, every building around him was lit ablaze; the fiery embers lit up the night with an eerie orange glow that would cause any normal man to shudder in horror. Plumes of smoke curled from each building; gathering in the sky above, filtering out any light the moon and stars would've provided to the shattered square.
The mage, though in a great scene of horror, remained stoically silent and still. Not a single muscle tensed in his body, save for the beating of his heart and his soft breathing. There was not a sound anywhere from any living being. Only the crackle and snaps of the flames around made any noise whatsoever; the embers produced a somber song that was a reminder of the scene around. Ivan slowly shifted his eyes left then right, further studying the area. It was bleak in every direction; lifeless, full of flames and the stench of death. Complete stillness, total oblivion.
Much like his still form, his emotions made no changes. Across his face was a straight mouth, and somewhat dulled violet eyes which showed nothing into the soul of the Adept. It was as though he himself could've been the one to kill these people so brutally; yes, he showed no emotion at all. He was like a statue carved from marble; so alive, yet completely inanimate.
Then Ivan turned his eyes skyward. In the smoke saturated skies, he could make out nothing, save for one thing. In the skies above what was left of Vale, he saw a massive figure, powerful, foreboding. A giant wingspan broke through the smoke, a span so large that it appeared to be twenty men in depth. Attached to the wings of the figure was a giant suit of armor, radiating with a dark glow and an evil disposition. In one massive metal arm he held a sword, far larger than himself, and the other housed a massive shield, more than three-quarters the size of the being itself. On its back were strapped dozens of weapons, each gigantic and horrible. There was no doubt that this figure was none other than the most feared entity known to humanity. Its name, the name that struck fear into the hearts of every person near and far, was Catastrophe, the angel of destruction.
Even at the sight of this amazingly powerful being, Ivan's face did not change, did not waver. If anything, the mage was not surprised seeing this being here. He turned his eyes back to the ground, as a slight tremor shook it lightly. As Ivan studied the ground, the tremor's intensity grew rapidly. The mage looked up and sighed, and as he finished, he took a deep breath into his lungs.
No sooner than his lungs reached capacity that a force of tremendous power struck him from behind. His body completely immobilized, Ivan felt a pain unlike anything he had ever experienced. Every nerve screamed out in agony, every sinew cried in pain, every muscle shouted in despair. His vision became nothing but a vast blur of red and white as he began to fall forward. He felt like he was literally being torn apart; the seconds turned into hours as the power continued to blast the defenseless mage. After a countless amount of time, Ivan felt his body impact on the ground; with the impact, the force that had blasted him dissipated. A few moments passed before Ivan could pick himself up from the ground; when he finally bolstered enough strength to, he looked up. The scene he now saw was infinitely more horrifying than the last. All across the land, for tens of thousands of miles around, all Ivan saw was. . .
Emptiness. Complete, and total, void.
*****************************************
Ivan's violet eyes violently snapped open; in his sudden shock, his chair fell over backwards and he tumbled the ground. His head collided with the floor with a strong force; enough to make Ivan see colors for a moment. When he finally came around, he swore under his breath and rubbed the wound. It still throbbed with pain, but that did not trouble him for long. What quickly entered his mind was his premonition; how real it felt, and how truly horrible it was. When the mage finally mustered enough strength to get to his feet, he rose and brushed himself off, trying to escape the thoughts of his vision. The worst thing was, more often than not, when the wind spoke to him of what could happen, it often did happen as foretold. If this was the case, Vale and all of its people were doomed. Worse yet, Ivan feared for all of Angara; Saturos' rage would probably reach to every inch of the country's borders.
Things were growing worse by the minute. If conditions continued to degenerate, there would be no hope for anyone. This would especially bode true if Ivan's other hunches were correct. If everything he knew and guessed could happen, everyone was done for. Ivan leaned against the table and put a hand to his forehead to think and look to his element for guidance.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait for his instincts or powers to kick in. Mere seconds after he had begun to ponder, the door to the library opened and a familiar Mercury Adept stepped in.
"Master Ivan." Alex said. "There are some matters I need to discuss with you, and they are very important."
"What's on your mind, Alex?" Ivan asked, trying to sound like nothing had happened to him. But as soon as Alex heard the words from Ivan's mouth, he halted and shot Ivan an unusual glance.
"You finally saw it?" Alex asked. "The fate of Vale?" Ivan's face paled noticeably, but he didn't hesitate to answer.
"Yes."
"Then times are as bad as Tret feared." Alex said, wrapping his hands behind his back and pacing back and forth. "I'm sure the reason you saw that vision was a stimulus that occurred just recently."
"What do you mean?" Ivan asked, somewhat on edge given the fact that Alex knew something he didn't.
"You know what it is. You've suspected it for quite some time now; not many things escape Tret's watchful eye."
"So, Isaac did fall in love with Mia then?" Ivan asked. "And I'd wager by the urgency of your tone that Lord Felix has discovered this. Is this the stimulus you speak of?"
"Tret was correct when he said go to you. You are as perceptive as he thought."
"What do you need me for, Alex? I know you didn't come here just to chat."
"There is a small matter that Tret wants settled. I need you to help me reach Isaac so we can speak with him."
"Why would you need my help, Alex? You seem perfectly capable of speech."
"There is no need to be cynical, my dear mage. You see, Felix has since sentenced Isaac to confinement to quarters and posted guards in front of the door. There is no peaceful way I can get in, let alone communicate with the squire. Besides, I doubt that he trusts me; I believe it would be better if someone he more closely trusts would accompany me. I know as well you yourself are interested in Isaac's motives. I'm afraid there is no other way around this."
"How many guards are we talking about?"
"Two of them remain on post at all times. Luckily for us, Isaac's quarters are in a more secluded area of the barracks. Once we get in, we shouldn't have much trouble talking to him with fear of detection." Alex replied. Ivan stood silently for a moment, thinking. He let his eyes reach the floor in front of him. Unfortunately, he knew Alex was correct; there was no other way.
"Very well, let's go."
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"Halt. No visitors allowed." One of the guards said to the mage and druid.
"Hey, what's going on? Did Isaac do something wrong?" Ivan asked, faking the innocence of a small child.
"That is none of your business, sir. You may be a mage of the kingdom, but I have my orders from Lord Felix himself."
"Are you sure we can't see him? I wanted to let him know something important." Ivan replied.
"No. Please leave the area now before we have you escorted from the barracks."
"Darn, I guess we'll have to wait for another time." Ivan said, turning and walking away, Alex in tow. Just as the guards let their momentary vigil down, they found themselves on the receiving end of a Sleep spell. Fortunately for Ivan and Alex, the guards had not spotted the sudden cast. Alex was quick to swipe a key from one of the guards and unlock the door to Isaac's chamber. The two quickly slipped inside and shut the door and bolted it once more.
"What in Sol's name are you two doing?!" Isaac asked, shocked out of reading his book by the sudden intrusion. "You guys aren't supposed to be in here! If Felix finds out you'll both be in serious trouble!"
"Sorry Isaac." Ivan replied. "But this matter is important." Isaac rose from his bed and put his book aside. He turned away from the mage and druid for a moment, before cocking his head around to look at Ivan with one eye.
"I guess you figured everything out, huh?" He asked, somewhat glumly. "Why I'm confined to my room?"
"Yes." Ivan replied.
"Have the rumors spread that quickly?" Isaac questioned, though not necessarily to his visitors.
"No, not yet they haven't." The mage responded. "The only ones who know are you, Felix, the guards, Alex and myself. Hopefully there will be no rumors floating around."
"So what do you intend to do in here?" Alex asked.
"Serve out my sentence." Isaac sighed. "What else can I do? I've already damaged the name of the Paladins of Sol enough." The warrior sighed and looked at both of his guests. "Why are you two here, anyway? You've no reason to break law just for time to talk with me." Neither replied right away and Isaac spun to face them. The warrior's sapphire eyes no longer displayed the same fire that they had just days before. "You came to find out why, didn't you?" He asked, sounding a mix of angry, hurt, and not surprised. The Venus Adept sighed and turned his back again. "Answer me this first, Ivan. . . Alex. Why do you wish to know? What importance does it play to you?" There was a pause before an answer.
"Alex, would you mind leaving for a moment?" Ivan asked. The Mercury Adept nodded, and took his leave from the room. Ivan was inwardly relieved; Alex seemed to know why he asked. "Isaac, why we need to know is very important. We fear the very essence of life hangs in the balance now. With this development, there will be a deep split in the Paladin corps and it could cause the very destruction of Vale."
"You still haven't answered me, Ivan. Yes, I'm perfectly aware of the situation, but what would the knowledge of why I fell in love change anything?"
"It might make our next course of action more clear, Isaac."
"How so?"
"You may want to sit down, Isaac." The Venus Adept did as told, and focused on the mage in front of him. "Today I had a premonition, much like every other Jupiter Adept does. What makes this one different was what I saw in that premonition. Isaac, I saw all of Vale destroyed, all of its citizens massacred. Not a soul was left, my friend. Not so much as a blade of grass remained alive. Just when matters couldn't seem to get worse, the one being that all of mankind fear flew above in the skies."
"Catastrophe. . ." Isaac whispered.
"Yes. Now do you see the urgency of our situation?" Isaac nodded in response.
"Perhaps it would be easier to tell you how all of this started and how it progressed."
"It would be faster if you opened your mind to me and let me read your thoughts. It would also be more accurate because they are your memories now, and I can see them in their purest states."
"If that's what you think is best, Ivan. You know I trust you." Ivan gave the slightest of smiles, and he walked over and rested his hand on the Venus Adept's shoulder. Jupiter's purple energy coursed through the mage's body as he began searching through the depths of Isaac's subconscious.
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Ivan's eyes opened and he found himself in a familiar place. He had returned to the square from his premonition, but it was much different than before. The skies were darkened, and the square was empty, save for one person, sitting on an ornamental fountain in the center of the square. Ivan raised an eyebrow at this; there was no fountain in Vale square, and certainly not one of a beautiful maiden. He approached Isaac, who, as Ivan well knew, could not see him or hear him.
The mage studied the fountain. It was an odd sight to say the least. The fountain maiden was a dead ringer for Mia, and yet Ivan knew this memory extended to long before Isaac had met her. This was very odd indeed. Not only was the resemblance close, it was very near perfect. The whole situation was simply mind-boggling; there was never a case of Venus Adepts having premonitions before. Ivan pondered this for a moment. It could've been a case of sheer luck that he dreamt of Mia, but the whispering winds in his head spoke otherwise. He decided to continue watching.
Footsteps could be heard entering the square, and Isaac rose. Ivan looked to the source of the noise to see a skeleton, fully clad in a knight's suit of armor, armed with a rusted and archaic blade. The squire quickly drew his weapon and began fighting with the monster. Sparks flew from both weapons as each combatant swung their blades at each other. The fight was completely even; both had almost equal strength. However, the battle drew to a close as Isaac whipped his sword across the side of the skeleton's head. The skull flew clear off and its body fell to the ground with a loud clang. The squire sighed and seemed pensive for a moment, before turning around to see three more of the same creatures rushing at him.
The swordfight was fast and furious; it was amazing how Isaac kept track of all three targets at once. The flashes of steel that came from each blow were blinding to the Jupiter Adept's eyes. Ivan watched in complete fascination as the blonde haired warrior dispatched each foe systematically until he was the last one left standing. After all of the battling, Isaac looked visibly tired. He panted for air and beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. As Isaac loosened up from his fight, another sinister voice called out, but it sounded like a whisper even through the silent night.
"Isaac. . . it is time."
Ivan's eyes widened at the sight of the newcomer. It was none other than the spirit of death, the one who appeared to those who would be taken to the other side. The figure was considerably larger than Isaac, clad in the black cloak that all of the literature said it wore. In its right skeletal hand, it held a massive and terrible scythe, and from the motion the spirit was in, it was prepared to use it.
"Never." Came Isaac's reply to the apparition. The Venus Adept moved his weapon into a defensive position, anticipating Death's next move. As expected, the specter swung at him with his scythe, and the squire blocked the scythe blade in a flash of sparks and light. Death, completely unfazed from the failure of his previous strike, swung for Isaac again. Once more, the squire blocked the strike of the scythe, but with a loud crack, his defense was gone. Ivan watched carefully as a good portion of Isaac's now broken sword clattered to the ground below. The warrior was left with less than a quarter of his blade, and it wouldn't be enough to block the next strike.
Obviously desperate, Isaac pitched the handle of his sword at the malevolent spirit, but Death had to move but a little to avoid the last ditch attack by the squire. Ivan winced as he saw the spirit prepare to strike once more, bringing the demise of his friend. However, instead of making a slash at him, Death lunged and pushed Isaac to the ground with the rod of his weapon.
"It is time." It hissed at him. Isaac looked up at the being with an indescribable horror, and he shut his eyes in a vain prayer that none of this was real. As the fiend raised his scythe for the final blow, a sudden blast of blue light blinded the mage. When his vision cleared, he saw the now distracted Death looking at the final comer in this fight.
**********************************
The powers of the wind subsided from Isaac's body as Ivan concluded his mind reading session. He had seen everything now; the dream, how he met Mia, the fight with the undead, the Cerberus hounds, their summoner, the history of Imil, and everything else; all from Isaac's point of view. The events were not any different than when they were described to him and the others in Imil, but experiencing everything from another's point of view gave a whole new perspective.
"So, Ivan. . . what do you make of it?" Isaac asked.
"I'm not sure." Ivan explained. "This dream of yours is disturbing, especially considering the frequency of which you had it; not to mention the fact that you had a perfect perception of Mia months before you even knew she existed. If this was a premonition, it is the first recorded one in history of Venus Adepts. Yet, it was not the dream that made you fall in love with her. This is a very strange turn of events."
"What else did you see? Did you see me talk to Sol?"
"Sol?" Ivan asked. "I do remember seeing a version of your dream where you seemed to phase out into a world of pure emptiness. I noticed you seemed to be talking to the air; I saw no sign of anything."
"That was where I saw him." Isaac said. "Sol was there, and he told me to follow my heart; that the Code wasn't always correct."
"I don't recall seeing any of that. Are you sure it wasn't just your mind being over-active in your sleep?"
"No, I saw him. I'm sure of it; I felt a presence of purity and strength, something unlike anything in this world could produce. Ivan, I am sure beyond a shadow of a doubt it was him." Ivan studied the warrior; the fire he had seen in Isaac's eyes some time ago had returned as he spoke with his conviction. "Who else could it have been?"
"What puzzles me," Ivan began, "was why couldn't I see him or hear him?"
"Sol makes himself apparent to only those he deems fit, and I doubt any memory of mine could clearly emulate him."
"It is possible." Ivan replied. "This is odd indeed. I will have to look into this further."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I must speak to Mia. Perhaps the missing pieces of this puzzle are in her keep. Does she know that you were found out?"
"No." Isaac replied. "I had the chance to tell her, but like a fool and a coward I didn't." Ivan sighed.
"Then it will be much more difficult to approach her about this issue. I believe a more subtle approach is required. I must dwell on this for a time. Perhaps I will see you soon, Isaac."
"Ivan, what do you think finding out about this would accomplish?"
"I'm not sure. I'm only doing as the wind wills; like good Jupiter Adept would do. Now, I must take my leave before Alex and I are discovered here. Take care, my friend." Ivan said, before finally leaving Isaac to his punishment once more.
